New York Utica Mission

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

This week did not feel normal haha but when is a week in the mission normal? Probably never.

Last Sunday we both woke up not feeling good, we took a nap in the afternoon and then everyday after that we felt worse haha Tuesday morning we called Sister Rogers and then she had the mission doctor call us and tell us what to do to get better. Luckily neither of us had bronchitis or strep throat or anything like that, we just had bad colds. We weren't supposed to tract in the cold for a couple days or street contact so we could get better. We are still both sick but definitely not as bad as last week.

Wednesday we had another fun District Meeting and then after that we had exchanges with the Rome sisters! Don't worry we weren't contagious and didn't get them sick too. The Rome sisters are so sweet, it was fun working with them. They are both really new in the mission and me and Shulz are both old so it was cool to help them and give them advice. Hard times on the mission definitely help in giving good advice because I can tell them what I did to get through it.

We had a cool experience tracting that night. We knocked on one of the doors and a man answered who was around our age and he said he would listen to a message about Christ, he invited us in but there wasn't another girl home so we taught him the restoration on his porch. It was really cool! He's going to nursing school and is really busy but hopefully this week we will be able to teach him more.

Thursday morning I had one of the most interesting lessons of my life hahaha if you want more details on that you can ask me about it later lol

That night we had dinner at one of the members of the Bishopric's house and it finally got out that I'm leaving soon. (I kept telling everyone me and Shulz both go home in a couple months-which used to be true) and so now I am speaking next week in sacrament meeting haha its okay though because he said I can talk for as long or as short as I want since there are already assigned speakers.

Friday was my last MLC! MLC is so fun because my closest friends in the mission are all STL's. I was so happy to see them all again. The meeting was super fun too, definitely the most we have all laughed at MLC. President was cracking jokes it was just awesome.

That night we went to President's house and a member of our ward is a professional harpist and she played Christmas songs! It was SO beautiful! I loved it so much. And a recent convert of ours brought her non-member mom and she said she almost cried. :') There is an amazing Spirit that comes from music about Christ.

Last night we went to a recent converts house and watched the Christmas Devotional and it was so good!! Last year I fell asleep haha but this time I was loving it all!

I still can't believe that this is my last week emailing...I have learned so much these past 18 months it would take forever to write them all out. I have met some of the most incredible people in the world and have had companions that I can't imagine my life without. Upstate New York will always always have a very special place in my heart. The best decision I have ever made in my life was to serve a mission. The people, the places, the experiences I've had will be something I will treasure forever. President always says that the mission is the MTC for life and he is definitely right. I love serving the Lord and I know that member missionary work is a lifetime calling which I am so grateful that it is. I have never been happier or had more fun than I have these last 18 months. Even though I am really sad that my time as a full-time missionary is coming to a close I know that greater things are ahead.

I love you all and am so incredibly grateful for all the letters, packages, prayers and thoughts. I have felt your prayers and your love as I have been on the other side of the country. Thank you!!!

Love,

Sister Horne

12.4.17

MLC

The Sisters at MLC

Chessy!

My Cute Trainee

Sister Jenkins

In the mission office, Sister Haderlie made ornaments for all of us and

hung them on the tree. It was so cute!

Zim Zim, Sister Haderlie and I were matching with our maroon sweaters :)

This super good chicken riggies place!

Downtown Utica

Famous pizza place. It's the second oldest pizza place in the US!

The FAMOUS Utica Wall!

We went to the Utica Zoo. It was so fun! and the lady let us in for free so it was a bonus!

All the goods for being sick and trying to get better.

The doctor told us to buy popsicles to help our throats feel better

and I was so happy about that. I haven't had a popsicle in forever.

Exchanges with the Rome Sisters

We were tracting when I saw this on someone's front yard - and loved it!

Aida gave us Christmas presents because she knew Shulz and I

wouldn't be together for Christmas. Early Christmas! :) I love her so much!

Monday, December 4, 2017

Tuesday we had exchanges with the Oneida sisters! It was really fun to hear about Oneida again since two of my companions have served there so I already know some people there. We had a good day and had some really good lessons.

Wednesday we served in the mission office which is always really fun. Then we had District Meeting and we were reading from the handbook but to make it fun we had to read the page either in an accent, tune of a song, in a real person's voice, etc. I was so terrible at it hahah but that's okay, it was fun.

Thursday was Thanksgiving!! It was so fun! We went and served in the morning at a nursing home then had lunch with one of the members then went to another place and served there with President and the other elders. After that we went to dinner at the Bensons! It was really fun. I learned my lesson from last year so this year I paced myself and didn't eat as much so I wouldn't feel like I was going to pass out haha

Friday we were at the doctors all day haha Sister Shulz hurt her foot and went to see what was wrong, Luckily it wasn't broken or anything. The doctor gave her suggestions about how to help it and she's been doing that and it's been a lot better. :) Then we helped a member set up their Christmas village which was fun!

Yesterday we both weren't feeling good but we have been taking a lot of medicine and getting some rest so hopefully our colds will go away soon!

Love you all!!

I'm so sad that my time as a missionary is coming to a close but I am excited to see all of you again. :)

Sister Horne

11.27.17

Our district leader promised us that if we built a snowman we would get

Monday night we had dinner with the cutest part member family ever, I love them so much.

Wednesday we went to do service at the mission office because normally there are two office couples but one just went home a couple weeks ago so the one couple has a lot of things to do. It was so much fun! Then we went to the mall to get lunch and it's so festive in there - I love it!

Thursday was insane. So it was zone conference and we were giving a 40 minute training 3 times (we taught 3 districts). It went pretty good. Our second training was definitely the best one. And I can't believe it but it was my last zone conference as a missionary! I gave my departing testimony and I guess people liked it because a few people mentioned something about it to me. President even quoted the quote I used in his training :) "You've had eternity to prepare for your mission and you'll have eternity to reflect on it but you only have 2 years (18 months) to live it." This time truly is precious!

Then right after zone conference we went on exchanges with the Delhi sisters! It was fun! That night we had an appt with a part member family and they didn't answer so we tried a potential next door and then went into the car to make a route to try some other people. While we were sitting in the car a car pulled up to their house and it was them! We waited a minute for them to get inside then knocked on their door again and they let us in and we taught the recent convert son (age 10) and his sister. She said she wanted to be baptized so she could have the Holy Ghost! We put her on date for the 9th but that would mean she had to go to church every week from yesterday to her baptism and yesterday they weren't there so we are going to need to push it back, but that's okay! As long as she gets baptized that's all that matters. :)

Friday we did service at the library and taught a couple really awesome less actives then the sisters left to go back to their area. They are such incredible missionaries.

Yesterday was a very interesting day haha At church during the sacrament (when it's normally pretty quiet) the member next to us was coughing and said "I'm dying" and then the member in the row ahead of us said "are you dying? I'll come to your funeral" Shulz and I were trying not to laugh but we couldn't help it hahah

In the afternoon we went to visit a few less active ladies who live in a nursing home. The nursing home has a dementia unit so there's a secure door that we have a code to get into. When we were about to put the code in there was a resident trying to get out and kept pulling the locked door! Luckily a nurse was close and redirected him another way so we could get in without letting anyone out. We taught the less active and it went really well, she's super sweet. Then when we were going back to the door to put the code in to leave a resident starts running at us with her arms open wide and making a weird noise, she catches up to us and puts her arms on our shoulders and then says some things that I don't remember and walks away hahah

Life is never boring as a missionary haha

Even though we were super stressed about our training and our first exchange at the beginning of the week it all worked out good and we made it through! :) We are going to go make a snowman and go shopping today to celebrate.

We are looking forward to a great week ahead! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I love this time of year and being able to focus on what I am grateful for!

Love,

Sister Horne

11.20.17

Sister Shulz had her first pumpkin spice steamer! She liked it :)

The Elders asked us to decorate their planners for them, we were pretty proud of them :)

The APs gave us this that had notes from their training since we missed it because

we were in another room doing our own training.

We had one of the most fun dinners! We went to this cute little place called Bite in downtown Utica.

It's a little cafe. There was a girl who was performing that night for open mic and she did a